An opera's evolving relevance: Turandot

Review

Ultimately, the vision of "China" that Puccini articulated with his Turandot is pure fantasy. While his scrupulousness in incorporating elements of Chinese music-making into his score is self-evident, there is little to suggest the other trappings of Turandot are anything other than an over-eagerness on the part of Puccini and his librettists to produce a spectacle that no one had seen before.

A product of great artistry: The Return of Ulysses at the Roundhouse

Review

The undeniable star of the show was the spectacular Roderick Williams. His performance was completely committed, both vocally and from an acting perspective. He savoured every word of recitative, brought out every moment of power and beauty in the music he performed. He welcomed his audience into the space with his unique, natural warmth, making the production a joy from beginning to end.

Strange sensual energy: Salome at ROH

Review

I didn't love the conceptual presentation of the Dance of the Seven Veils. It felt contrived and obvious, with its Freudian symbolism. I wanted more mystery, more horror and more beauty from it. Like the set, it felt distinctly 21st-century. It lacked the fragrance and uncomfortable beauty of Strauss' score and the original text itself.

Satire meets serious singing: TOT's Candide

Review

There was also the choice for some characters to use dialects - dangerous territory when you're already dealing with the pitfalls of Mid-Atlantic English pronunciation. I found the inconsistency of the dialects to be a bit distracting in the longer dialogue scenes, but the focus on great singing always brought you back home.

Cautiously aspirational: Book of Dreams

Review

GLMMR's creative team has constructed a scenario in which a Promethean ur-man (David Adam Moore) grapples with a deity-like overseer (pre-recorded narration by new-music impresario Beth Morrison), as he searches for identity in a world bereft of humankind.

The price of vengeance: Rigoletto at ROH

Review

A patch of barbed wire symbolised Gilda's fragility in this ruthless world. Giovanna, Gilda's nurse, meets the Duke and the two converse through the fence. A slit in the middle of it, hinting at Gilda's sexuality, becomes the medium for the Duke to bribe Giovanna, and he punches his fist through it in boorish coarseness. Gilda is clearly too pure for this world.

In review: Falstaff, man of faults

Review

Despite the sombre mis-en-scene for a comedy, the characters pull the production together with finesse and theatrical flair. The artistic decision to put the intermission in the middle of Act III makes for a long first half – and the energy in the room seemed to dwindle before they called the curtain for a much needed breather. This decision made more sense after the intermission - there is a surprise for the audience as far as staging goes, and it doesn't disappoint.

Equal parts stressful and reverent: #AtGBound

Review

Never a stranger to tackling contemporary subject matter, Against the Grain once again confirms its position as a leader of the pack in the world of underground, indie opera. BOUND is currently finishing the first stage of its multi-year workshop journey, and the direction it's heading in is both exciting and scary - in very good ways.

More than The Scream: Dear Edvard

Review

The piece hones in on Munch (Tim McDevitt) who, having admitted himself to a sanitarium, is treated by an impressionable, young nurse (Pearl Sun). Enamored of her celebrity client, she takes charge of his unconventional treatment. In lieu of shock therapy, this fictional version of Munch undergoes a series of role-playing reenactments in order to relive the traumatic events that formed his personality; a conceit no more plausible than say, time travel.

A generous Winterreise at Wigmore Hall

Review

Mitsuko Uchida's playing was beyond beautiful from the very beginning. The music seemed to be a part of her. Her musicianship was flawless, creating a churning winter landscape full of ice and storms. Her playing never lost its relentless energy, driving the story to its inevitable conclusion.